Hello!
I’m really excited to host a date on the blog tour to celebrate the publication of Paula Rawsthorne’s The New Boy. I had a soundtrack compiled by Paula, it’s amazing. Just embedding the videos took ages because I kept getting distracted. I hope you enjoy listening to them as much as I did, definitely check out The New Boy, it’s out now! I can’t wait to read it!
THE NEW BOY Soundtrack by Paula Rawsthorne
The main characters in my thriller, THE NEW BOY, are sixth formers at Hinton Dale College and I don’t think that I could have written their story without incorporating a flavour of their musical tastes.
When I was a teenager, particularly in sixth form, I was passionate about music, despite having no musical talent at all. A big part of my life was going to numerous gigs at Liverpool’s (scruffy and wonderful) Royal Court and dancing to my favourite bands. For my narrator, Zoe Littlewood and her friends, music is also important: From their shared love of ‘The Cave Dwellers’ to Zoe’s penchant for ‘The Killers’, music can be bonding, a form of self- expression and often exhilarating. Throughout the story references to the characters’ musical taste form an organic soundtrack to THE NEW BOY.
A big slice of this soundtrack is provided by the playlist that the gorgeous, Jack Cartwright, makes for Zoe. Compiling a playlist for someone you fancy and are trying to impress is a brave, intimate and exposing gesture. You’re wearing your heart on your sleeve when you share the tracks that you adore, desperately hoping that the object of your affections will connect with them too. You’re mindful of the lyrics of each track you choose- what are you trying to say to that person? How might they interpret them? Go OTT on the love songs and you might scare them off. However, filling it with obscure bands makes you seem pretentious rather than cool and trying to second guess what they might love is a risky strategy. The tracks you choose are like making a magic potion- you’ve got to get the right ingredients in the correct measure and Jack’s perfect playlist for Zoe works like a charm!
THE KILLERS – All these things that I’ve done. Mr Brightside.
Zoe loves ‘The Killers’ and Jack can play Mr Brightside on the piano like no one else.
The Cave Dwellers
Zoe and her friends, Jodie and Sonja, have been into The Cave Dwellers from when they first began. Now the band are playing sell-out gigs everywhere. (In case you want to look up this band I should tell you that they’re fictitious! However, in my imagination they’re pretty similar to The 1975)
The Beach Boys – God Only Knows
Listen to the lyrics – I guarantee your heart will swell.
Nina Simone – I Put A Spell on You. Sinnerman
Jack’s love of Nina Simone comes from Annie and Rob (his parents) who are big jazz and blues fans.
Arcade Fire – Rebellion (Lies)
On his bedroom wall Jack has a poster of Arcade Fire playing at Glastonbury
Florence and the Machine – Shake It Out
Rocky Movie theme tune
Just the tune Zoe needs to pump her up to face Bullseye.
Moulin Rouge movie soundtrack Children of the Revolution (the original T-Rex version)
Zoe and Jack share a love for Baz Luhrmann movies.
Fantastic Book Dragon 